Range-finder.



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RANGE FINDER. (Application mea oct. 21, 189e.)

2 shuts-smet (No Modell) No. 648,377. Patented-,May l; |900.

c. .1. BEAUVAIS.

RANGE FINDER (Application med oct. 2'1, nss.)

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UNITED STATES!!- PATENT OFFICE.

CRITTENDEN JOHN BEAUVAIS, OF PHCENIX, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

RANGE- FINDER.

SPIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,377, dated May 1, 1900. Application tiled Octo'ber 21, 1898. Serial No. 694,193. (No model.)

One object ofthe present invention is to im prove the construction of range-finders and to provide a simple and comparatively-inexpensive one capable of` being easily and quickly adjusted and operated and adapted to give the exact distance 0i' an object ih miles and fractions of a mile Without requiring mathematical calculation on the part ot' the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a range-under adapted for use on vessels and in the field and to provide means Whereby When it is used by an army in the field it may be accurately and quickly arranged in proper position for observation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a range-finder which Will enable the speed of ships and other moving objects to be ascertained and which' may be employed for finding the elevation or depression of pointsor places.

Furthermore, the invention has for its object to providea range-finder Which will en,-

able sights of cannon and other iirearms'to be accurately graduated for tiring ahead of a moving object at a great distance, so that the projectile will strike such object.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and 'arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a` range-finder constructedin accordance With this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the right-hand device. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional vieW illustrating the manner of adjust# ing the laterally-movable sightbar. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the transverse sight-bar of the left-hand device. Fig.

6 isa detailview of a scale for ascertaining Fig. 7 is a detail view the speed of vessels. p

Fig. 8 is a detail of the transverse scale-bar. view of the adjustable sight.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts inail the figures of the drawlngs.

1 and 2 designate right and left'ha'nd devices provided, respectively, with sight-bars 3 and 4, having front and rear sights 5 and 6 and 5a and 6, similar to those of a riiie, and they can be constructed in any desired manner to secure the most accurate sighting. Each observation device has a main or supporting frame comprising a horizontal base and vertical standards 7, located at opposite sides of the front end of the base and having oscillating frames 8 and 9 journaled between them on horizontal pivots or trunnions 8 and 9% and these oscillating frames are arranged to swing in a vertical plane to elevate and depress the longitudinal sight-bars 3 and 4.

Each pivoted frame is composed of` a pair fof longitudinal sidebars suitably connected at the front and back. V The front connectingbar 10 of the pivoted frame Sis of greater thickness than the rear connecting-bar 11,

. and the sight-bar 3, which is rigidly secured to the connecting-bars 10 and 11, has its sights 5and 6 arranged in a horizontal plane when the pivoted frame is horizontal. side bars, preferably the left-handside bar of each pivoted frame, is provided Witha slot 12, through which' passes an upwardly-extending bar or arm 13, rising from the basel and provided with a scale 14, graduated above and below a line indicating when the pivoted frame is in its horizontal position. The central graduation, which indicates whenrthe pivoted frame is in a horizontal position, is designated by O, and the upper and lower graduationsindicate the degree of elevation or depression of the sight-bars. The graduations of the scales of the observation devices are exactly the same, in order after the left-hand observation device is adjusted, as hereinafter described, the right-hand observation device may have its pivoted frame arranged in the same plane. Each pivoted frame is locked at the desired adjustment by means of a cam-lever l5, pivoted in the slot 12 and having a depending portion or arm adapted to be readily grasped by the operator to cause the head of the cam- One of the j ICO lever to engage the'curved edge of the. scale'.V

Bythis construction the pivoted frames are secured atthe desired adjustment.

The sides of the pivoted frames are connected between their ends by plates Vor portions which are slotted at their rear or outer ends to receive the upper ends ofy upper links 10b, and the latter have their lower ends pivoted between la pair of links 10c, pivotally connected with the base.` The links 10b and 10c, which support the pivoted frames against lateral movement, do not interfere with the adjustment of the same, and the lower links or members 10Q are preferably duplicated, as shown. Y

In operating therange-finder the left-hand sight-bar is first adjusted and the operator aims the same by means of the front and rear sights at a mast `or iiagpole of the place the distance of which it is desired to obtain, and

in adjusting vthe sight-bar 3 it is operated ward which the sight-bar 3 is aimed. The

similar to an ordinary rifle. After a' fair sight has been obtained the pivoted frame is locked and the point or graduationl of the.

vscale `is noted. v The pivoted frame of the right-hand observation-device is then set in the same plane as that of the left-hand device, and the sight-bar 4, which is pivoted near its front end by a bolt 16 or other suitable fastening device to the front connecting b ar or piece 17 of the 'frame 9, is adjusted to the rightor left and is sighted on the object torear portion of the sight-bar 4 carries a laterally-disposed .indexinger lor pointer 18, which moves over a transverse scale19 of a transverse scale-bar 20, which connects the y, rear ends of the sides of the frame 9.

The scale 19, which is located at one-halfof the transverse scale or connecting bar, is graduated or divided to designate miles and fractions thereof, the graduations beginning from the right-hand'end of the bar 20, and the l pointer indicates the distance of the object ber.

.front and rear sights 5at and 6,similar to those sighted, thef result being in miles and fractions thereof and requiring no mathematical calculation on the part of the operator.

for sighting the bar 4 in the opposite direction, as hereinafter explained, and then the sight-bar 4 will become the left-hand mem- The said sight-bar 4 is provided with of the sightebar 3. Y

' The right and left observation devices are designed to be constructed for operation ata given distance apart, and after this distancesay fifty feet-has been determined it rey mains constant-thatiaafter the devices have The' left-.hand half kof the transverse scale-bar is. provided witha reversely-arranged scale 19A and the other mile-marks of the scale are obtained in the same manner by actual observation, and when the scale is completed the deviceswwill be found accurate when sighted on any-object within their range. rlfhe scale is also -divided into fractions of a mile, which division-marks are obtained by actual observation, .as before explained.v

The rear connecting or scale bar 2O'of the frame 9.is provided'with a Vcurved rear face concentric with the pivot 16, and it has a curved flange 21 at its upper edge to engage a transverse recess of the4 sight-bar 4. The flange 21whichv engages the transverse recess 22, extends inward or forward from'the scale or connecting bar 20, and it prevents the sight-,bar from moving upward or downward independently of the pivoted frame, but permits the same to swing laterally on the pivot 16. One or more stops 23 may be provided for limiting the swing ofthe sight-bar 4 on the guide-flange 21, and the said sight- ,bar is locked at any desired adjustment bya cam-lever 24, pivotall y mounted in a recess 25 of the rear portion of the sight-bar and having a depending arm adapted to be readily grasped by the operator in sighting the bar 4 and located in a position corresponding to the trigger of a gun.

The devices are designed, primarilygfor fieldwork to enable the distance of fortifications and the iike to be ascertained for the use of artillery, and in order'to facilitate the placing of the devices in alinernent they are provided with-transverse sight-bars 26 and 27, which extend across their front portion, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. These transverse sight-bars,which are shaped similar to the other sight-bars, have their front sightsat .their inner ends, and they point toward eachv other, being mounted in bifurcations of the upper ends of the standards. The front ends of the transverse sight-bars are mounted on pivots 28, and their rear ends are Vlimited in their upward movementby stops 29, mounted on the standards at the front sides of the off bifurcations and arranged to engage shoulders 30, formed byrecessing the adjacent sides of the sight-bars, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The near side of each device IIO at its front with a plumb, consisting of a plumb-bob 31, suspended by a plumb-line 32 from a horizontal bar 33, which is mounted on the standards. The base of each device isprovided between the standards with suitable lines or marks for indicating when the plumb-line is in a perpendicular position.

In order to ascertain the speed of a moving vessel or other object which is traveling across the line of sight, a scale 34 is prepared for each mile of the scales 19 and 19athat is, a scale of this character is prepared for use at ten miles, another one for nine miles, another one for eight miles, and so on down toone mile. It is prepared by sighting the righthand device at an object a known distance from and in the line of sight of the left-hand device and then sighting it on 'another object a greater distance from the left-hand device and in the line of the sight thereof, after which the distance between these two sight-lines of the right-hand device is found at the first object, such distance being measured at right angles to the line of sight of the left-hand device. For example, the right-hand device is sighted at an object nine miles from the lefthand device and is then sighted at an object ten miles from the `said lefthand device. The distance between these two diverging sightlines, measured at right angles to the line of sight of the left-hand device, is obtained by actual measurement at the ninelnile point. This distance, which is thirty feet when the devices employed are three hundred feet apart, is taken as a unit of measurement for the nine mile' scale, and the graduations of the scale, corresponding to this unit of distance, are obtained by marking the distance the pointer or indicator moves in changing the right-hand sight-bar from the nine-mile object to the ten-mile object. After the scale 34: has been thus obtained the speed of a moving Vessel may be readily ascertained by rst determining the distance of the vessel and then using the scale corresponding to such distance, sighting the bar of the right-hand device on the mast of the vessel and keepinga fair sight on the same by gradually swinging the sight-bar horizontally until the pointer or indicator passes over one or more of the graduations of the scale. This will give the distance traveled by the vessel, and by noting the time taken by the vessel to pass over this distance the speed in miles. per hour may be readily calculated.

To facilitate aiming a gun a predetermined distance in advance of a vessel or other object, so that a shot will strike the vessel properly, a laterally-adjustable sight 35 is employed. This sight 35 is designed to enable a gunner to allow for the distance traveled by the vessel between the time the projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun and the time it arrives at the object, and it is located a short distance in advance of the rear sight of the bar 4 and is curved, being provided at its upper edge with sight-notches 36, arranged at intervals agreeing with thegraduations of the scale 34. The sight-bar 4f is provided with a dovetailed recess 37 to receive the laterally-adjustable sight-bar, which conforms to the configuration of the recess, and by sighting through one of the notches of the sight-bar and the front sight of the bar 4 the latter may be aimed in advance of a vessel. The adjustable sight-bar 35, which is designed to be provided on cannon and other firearms,

may be graduated for any known distance and for any given speed, and a number of such sight-bars may be provided, so that when the. distance of a vessel or other moving object is ascertained and its rate of speed determined the proper sight-bar may be used to enable the cannon to be accurately aimed the desired distance in advance of such object. These sight-bars are laterally adjustable to enable the first notch to be accurately alined with the ordinary front and rear sights of a gun, and they are detachable to enable them to be readily changed. After the sight-bar 35 is properly adj usted any one of the notches may be used without further adjustment. The scale 34 4is preferably arranged on a strip of flexible material, which is applied to the rear face of the curved scale-bar by engaging its ends with projections 3S, arranged in pairs and extending from the ends of the bar 20. The elevation or depression of an object may be ascertained in a manner corresponding to finding the distance traveled by a vessel in a given time-that is to say, suitable scales are provided for indicating the distances at a given point-say nine or ten milescorresponding to the movement of the rear end of the pivoted frame vertically. Each graduation of the scale may represent fifty feet or any other unit of distance, and by ascertaining the number of grad nations on such a scale between the position of the pivoted frame when the sight-bar is in a horizontal position and when it is sighted on the object the distance such object is'above or below the horizontal plane of the device may be readily determined. The device may alsol be advantageously employed for accurately graduating the sights of heavy guns and firearms of all descriptions for shooting at moving objects at great distances.

The pivot 1G of the sight-bar is located the same distance from the rear sight as the scales 19 and 19a-are from the pivots or trunnions of the pivoted frame, and the fractional parts of miles on the scales' 19 and 19a are preferably indicated by dots, as shown, one dot indicating one-quarter, two dots a halt', and three dots three-quarters of a mile. Between the graduations at the beginning of the scales 19 and 19 short lines or dashes are employed for indicating eighths of a mile.

The invention has the following advantages: The devices, which are exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, are easily manipulated and are capable of finding the range of an object, of ascertaining IOO ' 'einen'.v

the speed of ships Vand other moving things, and of determining the height of points -or places or the "depression of the same. The devices can be employed for accurately graduatingsights for enabling cannon andother firearms to be accurately aimed a given distance inadvance of a vessel or othermoving object when the distance and the rate of speed are known, so that the projectiles willbe properly timed to strike such objects. f v Changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What is claimed isl v1. A range-finder comprising a pair of observation devices provided with pivotallymounted longitudinal sight-bars arranged to swing vertically, one of thesight-bars being capable of swinging laterally, and a pair of pivotally-mounted transverse sight-barsarranged to operate independently ofl lthe longitudinal sight -bars, substantially as described. y j 1 1 l 2;A A range-finder comprising a pair `ot' observation devices provided Withlongitudinal sight-bars pivoted at theirfront ends and arranged to swing vertically, one of thev longitudinal sight-bars being capable of swinging laterally, and a pair of transverse sight-bars mounted independently of the longitudinal sight-bars, said transverse 'sight-bars'b'eingpivoted at their front ends and arranged-to swing vertically, Vsubstantially asl described.

3. A range-finder comprising a pairof ob-k servation devices provided with longitudinal sight-bars pivotally mounted and arranged to swing vertically, one of the sight-bars being capable of swinging laterally, a pair `of I fixed to the said devices and extendingup-A transverse sight-bars mounted independently of the longitudinal sight-bars and arranged to Aswing vertically,l graduated guide arms Ward therefrom,'and, means for locking the longitudinal sight-bars at any point lon the guide-arms, substantially as described. j I

- 4. A range-finder comprising a pair ofobservation devices provided with pivotally-` mounted longitudinal sight-b'ars, arranged to swing'vertically, one'of the sight-bars being capable of swinging laterally, a pair of. trans- Verse sight-bars lmounted independently of,

the "longitudinal sight-bars and arranged to swing vertically,and the links arranged in pairs and connected with the bases of the devices and with the longitudinal sight-bars, substantially asdescribed.

5.' A range-.finder comprising a pair of observation devices provided with longitudinal sight-bars pivotally mounted land arranged to swing vertically, one ofthe sight-bars being arranged to swing laterally, a pair of transverse sight-bars mounted independently of the Ylongitudinal sight-bars and arranged to swing vertically, links arranged in pairs and pivotally connected with the sight-bars and with the bases of thedevices, upwardlyextending guide-arms, and means for securing the longitudinal ysight-bars at any point on the said guide-arms, substantially as described. Y

6. A device of the'class describedcomprising a supporting-frame, a transverse scalevbar` provided at its ends With projections, a

pivoted sight-bar, and a. iiexible scale arranged on the sight-bar and having its ends detachably engaging the said' projections,

whereby the scale may be quickly changed, substantially as described.

7. VIn a device of the class described, the combination of a Vsuitable support, and a transversely-disposed sight detachably and adj ustably mounted on the support and provided-with a scale and having a series of sightnotches located at its upper-edge and corresponding with the graduations Ofthe scale,

lsubstantially asl and for the purpose de- Adevice and means for securing the pivoted fra'nes at the desired adjustment,substan tially las described. Y 9. In a device ot the class described, the

lcombination of a supporting-frame provided' with standards, avmovable fra-me pivotally mounted atits front end between the standards and adapted to be raised and lowered, said movable frame having an opening in rear of the standards, a sight-bar mounted on the lnovable frame, an arm or bar'tixedY to and extending upward from the supporting-frame,

. passing throughthe opening of the movable Vframe and provided with a scale, and a locking device mountedon the movable frame and engaging the arm or bar, substantially as described.

`10. In a devicev of the class described, the combination of asupporting-frame provided with standards, a movable frame pivotally mounted between the standards at its front lend and adapted to be raised and lowered, a curved guide carried by the movable frame and arranged transversely of the rear end thereof and having a scale, means fory securing the movable frame at the desired adjustment, and a sight-bar pivotally mounted on the movable frame, supported by the guide and operating in conjunction withthe said scale, substantially as described.-

l1.l In a deviceof the class described, the combination with a supporting-frame provided with standards, a movable frame pivotally mount-ed at vits front end between the IOS IIO-

. standards and provided at its rear end with a transversely-disposed curved guide, a pivoted sight-bar mounted on the movable frame and interlocked with the curved guide, and a locking device carried by the sight-bar and arranged to engage the movable frame at different points on the said guide, substantially as described.

12. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a supporting-frame,a movable frame pivotally mounted at its front end on the supporting-frame and provided atits rear end with a transversely disposed curved guide, a sight-bar pivoted to the movable frame and adapted to swing laterally thereof, said sight-bar Vbeing interlocked with the guide, a cam-lever fulcrumed in a recess of the s ight-bar,depending therefrom and adapted to engage the guide to secure the sight-bar at the desired adjustment, stops for limiting the movement of the sight-bar, and an indexfin ger or pointer extending from the sight-bar and adapted to operate in conjunction with a suitable scale, substantially as described.

13. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a supporting-frame provided with standards, of a movable frame pivotally mounted between the standards and adapted to swing vertically, a longitudinal sight-bar carried by the movable frame, and

`a transverse sight-bar pivotally mounted on the standards,.snbstantially as described.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame provided with standards, bifurcated at their upper ends, a movable frame pivotally mounted between the standards, a longitudinal sightbar mounted on the movable frame, and a transverse sight-bar arranged in the bifurcations of the standards and pivoted to one of them, substantially as described.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame having Vertical standards, a movable frame pivotally mounted between the standards, a sight-bar carried by the movable frame, a horizontal bar connecting the standards, a plumb suspended from the horizontal bar, and a transverse sight-bar pivotally mounted on one of the standards and guided on the other, substantially as described. l

16. A range-finder comprising the frames 1 and 2 provided with standards, the movable frames 8 and 9 pivoted between the standards and adapted to be raised and lowered, the frame 9 being provided with a curved guide and having a scale, the sight-bar 3 fixed to the frame 8, the sight-bar 4 pivoted Vto the framew9V and supported by the said guide, adjacent to the scale, the arms extending upward from the frames 1 and 2, passing through the movable frames and having graduations, locking devices mounted on the movable frames and engaging the arms, transverse sight-bars mounted on the standards, and plumbs arranged at the fronts of the frames 1 and 2, substantially as described.

17, A range-finder comprising a pair of observation devices provided with pivoted lon'- gitudinal sight-bars, arranged toswing vertically, one of the sight-bars being capable of swinging laterally, the fixed upwardly-extending guide-arms, means for securing the longitudinal sight-bars at any pointvon the guide-arms, and links arranged in pairs and connected with the sight-bars and with the bases of the devices, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CRITTENDEN JOHN BEAUVAIS.

Vitnesses:

W. W. EDWARDS, I. N. BELL. 

